A known cold weather garment system which has been proven effective over the last decade and a half, is commonly known as the Phillips system. This system typically includes an upper body garment and a lower body garment, the single garments providing all the necessary cold weather protection for a human being's body, legs, and arms (other equipment being worn on the feet, hands, and head). Such a system includes an outer fabric of military camouflage nylon or the like, an inner lining fabric of loosely knit or woven construction, and an approximately one inch layer of open cell foam disposed between the inner and outer fabrics, and connected to the fabrics by stitching formed at the edges (and elsewhere if required) of the garment.
While the Phillips system has been very useful and effective for many cold weather situations, it is known to have relatively poor wind resistance. However, its poor wind resistance characteristics can be overcome by utilizing as the outer or shell fabric a high density woven fabric, the fabric woven from fine denier multi-filament polyester yarn or the like. Also, it is desirable to enhance the properties of the garments in a number of other ways, as long as the warmth and moisture transport properties thereof are not adversely affected.
According to the present invention, a simple change in the construction of the Phillips system cold weather garments results in a number of advantages. According to the present invention, by utilizing as the foam layer a slab of foam having a first face and having a second face that is convoluted, a number of advantages can be achieved. For instance, utilizing the foam layer according to the invention one is able to increase the flexibility of the garment, and reduce the amount of material and weight of the garment. Also, since added surface area is provided by the convoluted face, moisture transfer during sweating by the wearer is enhanced. This is all accomplished without a decrease in the warmth retention properties of the garment, and in fact the moisture transport capabilities thereof are actually increased.
The convoluted foam sheet used according to the present invention preferably includes a flat face as the first face thereof. The convoluted face abuts the inner lining of the garment, while the flat face abuts the other fabric. While the convoluted face may take a number of different forms, it preferably basically has a form like that of an egg carton, having peaks and valleys, with the peaks disposed in a generally grid-like arrangement, with ridges between the peaks, and with four peaks surrounding a valley, and vice-versa. The foam preferably is about one inch thick, that is, the distance between the flat face and each peak is about one inch, while the distance between the flat face and each valley is about half of that (that is, about 1/2 inch). The foam is preferably of the same type as used in the Phillips system, being an open cell foam of polyurethane, polyether, or the like.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved cold weather garment system. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.